Busy Weekend!

Hubby Home!

After a week in Knoxville, my husband returned home last Friday from his business trip.  It's never fun to be alone while he's away, but I manage to pass the time somehow.  I watched a few movies, went for a drive, and just stayed cool while the world outside sweltered.  I'm glad he's home now, though, and enjoying his company once again, and we had a busy weekend together, as you will see below.  Yay!

Craft Show

Saturday morning, we ventured downtown looking for a place called Gaslight Gallery.  While hubby was gone, I saw an advertisement for a craft and art show that they put on during certain Saturdays in the summer, and I thought it would be a great idea for The Sunflower Tree to get some exposure.  The ad said that interested people needed to go to the gallery to fill out an application, pay for space, and have your work approved for the show.  So I took a bunch of notepads and we finally found the gallery after a bit of a goose chase.  I was told that the stationery should do very well, and was therefore approved!  Most craft shows in Ohio require a vendor's license for tax purposes, which is why I have not pursued this avenue up to this point, but perhaps if I do well here, I'll apply for a license and do some sales that way.  Here's hoping!

My helpers for the craft show

Hog Roast 
Saturday evening, we were invited to a hog roast and party by one of my husband's co-workers.  It was out in the country, there were three houses involved, and it was a great time, despite only knowing about four people of the hundred or so that were there.  It was a hot day, but once the sun went down, it cooled off nicely and we enjoyed live music and a great view of fireworks that were being shot off in a nearby town.  We stayed out later than we were used to, but it was a lot of fun.

E.P. Jones House

The next day, Sunday, there was an open house here in town to raise money for the renovation of a post-Civil War mansion that has been owned for years by a reclusive woman who recently passed away.  She willed the mansion to a friend/neighbor, who is considering renovating and restoring the building and possibly opening it up as a museum or living history site.  I've wanted to see the house ever since we moved here, and so I had to take the opportunity to take the tour through a house that had no air conditioning, despite another 90-degree day.  I headed over there in the early afternoon, and there was a bit of a wait, but it was worth it.  This was an amazing home at one time: amazing plaster and woodwork, three-story spiral stairs with a mural on the third floor ceiling (visible from the first floor), gold leaf details, original gas fixtures that were retro-fitted for electricity, 8 marble fireplaces, 12' ceilings, a third-floor ballroom, wine cellar in the basement...the list goes on and on.  I was able to take a few pictures of the interior before being told not to, and I've posted them below.  As you can see, the house has some problems, but it could be beautiful again!

Gold leaf detail, plaster moulding in the informal parlor

Ceiling detail in the informal parlor

Leaded glass dining room window

Dining room ceiling moulding

Ceiling detail of the formal parlor

Formal parlor ceiling detail

Front of Jones Mansion

Movie Date
We rounded out the busy weekend with the final Harry Potter movie.  The theater was having a $5.00/ticket deal, and we hadn't had the chance to see the movie yet, so we took advantage of the discount prices and finally saw it.  Pretty good, and I think it followed the book well.  I read the books years ago, and have a somewhat vague memory of the story, but I think they did a pretty good job.  Hard to believe that this franchise has been around for over ten years!  It doesn't seem like that long ago.  Time sure does fly!

I have a hard time not getting wrapped up in the events taking place in my own life.  My own little world is so nice and cozy, but when I'm in it, I can't possibly see what plans God has for me that I might be missing!  I'm sure I'm not the only one to fight this, right?  So, despite what excitement, or lack thereof, I might be experiencing, I must try to remember that it's not earthly goals and treasures that I should be focusing on. Philippians 3:12-14 says: "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."  That's certainly where my eyes should be!  Where might yours be?

$22.50--Sold!

A Day At The Auction

My Treasure!

This past weekend, friends that we've known for years were here in town to hold an estate auction, and we were able to spend most of the day with them.  It's always great to have a visit from old friends!  I hadn't been to an auction since I was a teenager, and had completely forgotten how much fun they are.  The day started out warm and muggy, but the rain held off until just after the auction was completed.  Hubby saw a box lot that had a Marathon oil can in it, among other items, and wanted to bid on it.  It was one of the last things to come up in the entire auction, but we waited patiently.  I was the one holding the number, so I got to do the bidding!  A woman was there who also apparently had an interest in the box.  We bid and bid and I decided at some point in the middle of the bidding that I wasn't leaving the auction without the box of goodies, and I get waaaay too competitive when it comes to things like this.  I even warned my husband of this fact, but I don't think he quite realized just what I meant until he saw me bidding.  He tells me that he tried repeatedly to grab me and get me to stop bidding, while our friend watched and laughed.  He never caught me, and I never knew of any of that going on--I was in the ZONE!  Normally, I'm not a competitive person, but auctions do something to me and I just have to win.  Sooooo, yes, I won!  There was actually quite a bit in the box that will come in handy, like several pairs of good, heavy-duty scissors, older wood-handled tools, electrical tape, duct tape, masking tape, screws, glue, silver polish, a 24" metal ruler, half of an asbestos floor tile (I just don't know), and miscellaneous odds and ends, not all of which are shown in the photo.  And, of course, the Marathon oil can!  I paid $22.50 for all of it, and we know that Marathon oil can is likely worth $10 alone, because we see them at the antiques store here in town--you can't buy that anymore.  I think it was a good price for what was there, but of course, my husband thought I paid way too much.  That's okay, though; I'm sure that time will reveal that I was right!  :)

Seven Years!
My husband and I are quickly approaching the seven-year mark in our married life together.  Every anniversary is special, and this will be no exception.  I've already mentioned that we are planning a trip to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village up in Dearborn, Michigan, but I also decided to surprise my husband with a gift.  I'd been setting aside a little money from each paycheck to save up for his gift, and I was finally able to purchase it last Friday--a Kindle!  I got him the one he wanted, which is the one with the 3G wi-fi.  I was so excited to give it to him that I couldn't wait until our anniversary, and gave it to him last weekend!  I think it was the first time that I remember him ever being speechless.  It was great!  He can usually tell if I'm up to something, but this time I pulled a fast one and caught him completely off guard.  He really likes it, and has loaded several free classics onto it already.  I love being able to surprise him!  And, of course, I just love him, period!  Happy seven years of marriage, my dear!

Friends are great to have through life.  The best friends are the ones who stand with you through anything, and who, upon meeting again after a long separation, feel as if no time has passed since you last saw each other.  Friends are found in the most unexpected places--who would have thought I would meet my future husband because of a crazy roommate?  Sometimes we find friends are where we least expect them and most need them.  It's not necessary to have hundreds of friends on Facebook, or even hundreds of friends in real life, but friendship is essential to getting through life without losing our minds.  God meant for us to find friends and form friendships, and He especially hopes that among those friendships is a friendship with His Son, Jesus.  In the Bible, examples of great friendships are not few and far between: David and Jonathan, Ruth and Naomi, and Jesus and His apostles, just to name a few.  When surrounded by the right friends, we can get through the toughest times.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 tells us the importance of friendship: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!  11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.  But how can one keep warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."  Do you have a cord made with a single strand, or is yours a cord of many strands that work together to keep from fraying?  I hope your answer is the latter!